Cal's Big Log II: The Revenge

Training
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Anyway, sneaky trip to the gym before I set out to my friend’s house.

Chins: 3, 2, 2, 2, 1.5 (heh)

Superset: Millies/Squats

Bar x 10/10, 25kg x 10/10, 30kg x 9/10, 32.5kg x 5/10

No change on the two higher weights at millies. Even 9 reps at 30 was a bit of a struggle. It’s funny how quickly the strength goes doing these - first few reps always feel strong and then suddenly it’s like someone replaced my arms with jello.

Rack Pulls:

Bar x 10
60kg x 10
70kg x 5
80kg x 5
90kg x 2

I did bridge holds after each set, for a count of 10.

That was the weights. I then practised my forward rolls (three times only as they were fine), headstand (Can do this with bent legs but once I try to straighten them I topple over. Working on this) and handstand kicks (kick up to handstand or near handstand but come straight back down). Then stretched a bit.

Weight still 10 stone 11. Height was down by a cm - I blame the headstands! I’ve been doing them all week to demo to my school kids. I’ll be seeing my ART/chiro in two weeks, though - she’ll fix it, heh.

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Aww! its true Cal! You’re making a difference in these little youngins lives! That must feel kinda nice, eh?

Anyways, kids are unpredictable and intimidating to me - but they certainly do keep you young. I mean, whod’ve thought you’d be forward rolling and headstanding?!

Chins are getting stronger - well done!

I just learned from one of my coaches that the spine gets compresed during Oly lifting so he makes us hang from the pullup bar after training to decompress it. Maybe you can do the same? Altho I’m sure the Art lady can fix that right up. I certainly can’t afford to lose a single cm!

Have fun at the party!

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good work at getting everything in!

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Cal: I love reading about all your progress with gymnastics. Forward rolls are no big thing now! You’ll get that headstand soon too. Remember to stay tight–squeeze your butt and your core! You might also try (as a transition) doing a headstand with your legs in a straddle or a split position–it’s a little easier.

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Party was fun but unfortunately my fella couldn’t make it as he lives at the other end of the country and was snowed in (snow has mostly cleared in London). It was nice to see my friends, though, and their little boy who is nearly 2. I guess my job has made me freak out a bit less about being around small children.

I did drink a fair bit of wine but stopped relatively early and drank some water. I did eat a lot of carbs, however, including wheat based foods (my friends did a lasagne for dinner, and then pizza the next afternoon) so my food hangover was worse than the booze one. I really didn’t feel like going to the gym yesterday at all.

Went today though.

Alternate sets:

Chins: 3, 2, 2, 1.5
Millies: Bar x 10, 25kg x 10, 30kg x 9, 32.5kg x 5 (no changes but the reps felt better than on Saturday)

By alternate sets I mean there’s a rest between all, so it’s not a true superset.

Deadlifts…from the floor!

Bar x 10
60kg x 5
70kg x 5
80kg x 3

So, a bit less than the rack pulls but actually my hands were the weak link - my calluses were starting to tear up and felt sore. I need to start taking chalk with me again.
I’m not disappointed though - this is the first time I’ve deadlifted in, hmm, a year I think.

Negative pull-ups: 3 x 3

DB rows: 1 x 6 x 28kg

My hands were fucked so I thought I’d call it a day.

Went and practised my gymnastics a bit. I finally managed to get a headstand with legs up for 10 seconds. Legs were not vertical mind…they were a bit back, but hey, it’s progress, I’ll take it.

I have to go into school today even though I don’t normally work Tuesdays, for parents evening. Ugh. I’ll have to hope I can remember who’s who and be diplomatic.

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Well done Cal! Pulling Dls from the floor at 80kg is awesome. More so that its been a year! Its great to think that you haven’t lost any strength after your hiatus.

And great work on the headstand! I really should try doing a headstand, they do look fun!

HA! Food hangover - completely understand. I hope you enjoyed your lasagna and pizza! You deserve some naughty foodz every once in a while.

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that looks like a great workout :slight_smile:
nice deads and a head stand!

glad you’re not freaking out over the kids anymore. Some cool people come in very small packages. And most evil kids are a reflection of the parenting. especially at that age. Plus today’s little monsters need all the help they can get and having some strong role models is always welcomed.

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Cal it’s great to read that you’ve been able to add deads and squats back in to your program. I’m glad you’re healing up. And you’re making very quick progress on that headstand. How’s that cartwheel coming?

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I haven’t tried the cartwheel for a while - I’ll work that one more over Christmas when I’m off work, I reckon.

Parents evening went OK. Not all the parents came to talk to me (some were only interested in talking to their children’s form teacher, which is fair enough - time is tight for a lot of people) but I got to talk to a few of my favourite girls’ parents. A few were saying that their girls were practising at home and were freaking out their mums and dads with their partial headstands. The mother of my favourite year 2 girl (who is somewhat phyiscally awkward but whom I managed to get doing a forward roll) said her daughter was enjoying gymnastics so much she wanted to find a class outside school. It makes me happy to know I can actually make a difference to these girls’ lives in terms of physical confidence and self esteem.

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that feedback is really awesome Cal!

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Woke up feeling as though I was coming down with something. One of the hazards of working with children, I guess. Muzzy head, scratchy throat, tired eyes, voice like a pre-op trannie. I told myself not to be a pussy and go to the gym anyway (I’ve taken to calling myself fuckhead when I engage in dialogue with myself - don’t ask why) which is what I did. Fairly short workout - wasn’t going to puss out but wasn’t up for supersetting either.

Millies:
Bar x 10, 25kg x 10, 30kg x 9, 32.5kg x 5

Not making progress but not losing it either, which is enough at the moment given how I feel.

Chins:

3.5, 3, 2, 2

Small progress here. I’m good with that, especially as I’m 3lbs heavier than last week (curse you, chocolates and biscuits that appeared in the staff room on Thursday!)

Squats:

Bar x 10, 30kg x 10, 3 x 6 x 40kg

Lower back ached a bit after these so I’ll need to watch it.

I then did some headstand practise (got legs up for while on one try…but I’m very inconsistent. Sometimes I can do it, most times I just roll over. But I’m persevering) and some (working up to) handstand practise. Also stretching. Gym was a bit busy to do a lot of the gymnastics but I have my class tomorrow.

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Oh yes, children are wonderful harbingers of disease, so not surprised there. My mother is a teacher and she’s always coming down with something. On the plus side, just think of all the immunizations you’ll have!

That is great progress on the chins! Esp with a 3+ of water and stuff. Good work!

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Mmm chocolates and biscuits–evil yes–but a sin worthwhile.

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Yeah, it’s unfortunate that they appeared exactly as my PMS munchies hit. Ah well, Christmas and all that!

215

Deadlifts from the floor! YEAH! All this rolling around and headstanding seems to be helping your broken bits.

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I heard that people are taller in the morning after lying down for a while and then shorter in the evening as things compress after walking around etc. Did you measure your height at a different time of day because that could explain the difference. Good tip about decompressing the spine, Mascherano. I used to do this but haven’t for a while, should bring it back in (and stop avoiding the chin-up bar!) I wonder if decompressing the spine adds height…

Gymnastics stuff - cool! I kinda want to start doing rolls and breakfalls etc. Feeling a lot more stable on my feet than I used to but sure I’d feel a whole heap more confident if I knew I could take a tumble safely. I really should write up a list of stuff to play with when I"m deloading / taking things easy. Good to hear that this stuff is hard to learn as an adult (that way I won’t feel so stupid doing it badly!)

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Hi Alexus - I think it was just that I wasn’t standing up as straight as usual. The headstand comment was a joke, really. I always weigh/measure on Saturday mornings after gym. I was back to my usual height yesterday.

Gymnastics today was hard - I found it quite fatiguing and had trouble with the stuff we were doing towards the end. It was more about handstands and cartwheels today and I couldn’t quite wrap my body around those. Right wrist is cranky (that’s my carpal tunnel wrist - it’s not bad but years of using a mouse and keyboard have left it a bit grumpy, so when I put weight on it doing bridges, handstand work and so on, it complains). Also had a pain in my right elbow. I think it’s down to the squats from yesterday - they bothered that elbow before (if you’re wondering why, it’s the way it’s bent while I’m holding the bar in place for back squat) and then one particular mobilising movement made it go ouch.

I put it down to the virus I was fighting yesterday (my little soldiers seem to have fought it off - I guess the cold I had in September gave me a bit of a boost), Flo and the fact I am a bit sore from squats. Hopefully I’ll be in better shape next weekend.

After gymnastics I went to Winter Wonderland (a big German Christmas market with rides that sets up in Hyde Park in the middle of London) with friends, drank a few paper cups of gluhwein, ate some crap food and rode a couple of things. Feel knackered now.

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The headstand comment was a joke, really.

Haha. Sorry - I can be a bit dense sometimes. Hmm… Cartwheels and handstands… I haven’t tried those since I was about 7. I bet I couldn’t do them now. Hope your wrist and elbow feels better soon. Horrible to have nagging ouches.

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Honestly, I don’t have a sound joint in my body. I have lower back issues I’m working through, rotator cuff problems with both shoulders (the right one more so - it’s been a problem for nearly 20 years), knee issues, ankles that are proned to spraining, oh, and an extra bone in my right foot that has been grumbly since the last time I sprained my ankle (2009). I should be taken out back and shot. So the elbow thing is just a minor annoyance, really - it’s a case of “oh you’re hurting today? Join the queue.”

Sore throat and tranny voice is back. Virus is obviously not completely eradicated. Damn.

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sometimes maintaining is good enough. Being sick sucks the life outta me.

Hope you feel better soon to do MORE!!